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Hammel encouraged; knee MRI set for Thursday

Hammel encouraged; knee MRI set for Thursday

BALTIMORE -- Orioles pitcher Jason Hammel was seen by team orthopedist Dr. John Wilckens on Tuesday and the plan is for him to get an MRI exam on his right knee Thursday morning at 10 a.m.

The team won't know anything further until then, although Hammel was a little encouraged that his knee didn't swell up overnight.

"There isn't a lot of swelling," said Hammel, who missed nearly two months after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on the same knee. "But that raises more questions for me, like, what's going on?"

"Hopefully by tomorrow afternoon, we will have an idea what we are dealing with," said manager Buck Showalter, who came out to the mound after Hammel went 3 2/3 innings Tuesday night, along with head athletic trainer Richie Bancells.

"As Dr. Wilckens said, the initial look at it, same thing that Richie and them saw last night. I think the medical term is "unremarkable." But that's just the early blush. So, I don't think we will really know anything until we get the MRI back tomorrow."